Michigan could land country's No. 2 football prospect today

May 26, 2013

Detroit Free Press Sports Writer

If the recruiting experts are correct, today could be another landmark moment for the Michigan football program.

The Wolverines won’t win a game, but could win a major recruiting battle for a game-changing player.

The No. 2 overall player in the 2014 class as ranked by Rivals.com, Paramus (N.J.) Catholic cornerback Jabrill Peppers, will make his college commitment at 5 p.m. on ESPNU.

If he chooses Michigan from his final group with LSU, Notre Dame, Penn State, Rutgers and Stanford — and nearly all of the prognosticators have indicated it will be Michigan, where his a teammate, offensive lineman Juwann Bushell-Beatty, committed last month — he would be the Wolverines’ highest-ranked recruit in the 14-year history of Rivals.com.

Unlike some of the others who rose to prominence late in the recruiting process, Peppers has been in the spotlight his whole career. He was selected the national freshman of the year after the 2010 season, the national defensive player of the year after 2011 and last year, despite switching to Paramus Catholic from Ramsey (N.J.) Don Bosco, still dominated.

In three years at two schools he has won three state titles.

He’s a legitimate offensive threat as well with 37 rushing touchdowns and 11 receiving just in the past two years.

Although he can’t sign a letter of intent until February, Peppers would vault the 2014 class, which already is ranked No. 1 by ESPN.com with its nine commitments, into lofty space.

“He’s a freak athlete, I talk to him a lot, he’s an awesome dude,” U-M 2014 QB commitment Wilton Speight said in a video posted on ESPN.com. “He’d go right along with the rest of us and fit in perfectly and feel like part of the family.”

Peppers also is developing a noted rap portfolio, releasing a few videos of his musical efforts.